


Planting His Roots

by LadyofI



Series: Realm of Insanity [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - America, Endings how do they work?, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 23:49:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15651441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyofI/pseuds/LadyofI
Summary: Ever since Irene disappeared -and took the mental hospital she was in with her- her brother and mother have been trying to live life as normal. But one day, Eliza dreams that her daughter is calling her. And in an instant, lives are changed.





	Planting His Roots

**Author's Note:**

> First off, let me reinforce that this was the hardest ending to write, if only because it did not wanna come out. Second, I had planned to redo parts of this story anyway, but then it turned into rewriting the entire damn story because some research threw it into limbo otherwise. Second, because the third story is in limbo and it's the one that would _mostly_ tie the stories together, I decided to spoil something in the end notes.

Six years.  
  
Six long years since that day, and yet I clung to a wild hope.  
  
It had been six years since Valley Life BC vanished off the face of the earth - and with it, my little sister Irene. The police had long since closed the case -with help from my grandmother, Alita- and written it off as a gas explosion, but I was unsatisfied. There were too many questions left unanswered - namely, the crater. I certainly wasn’t a demolitions expert, but even I could tell that it was too… _clean_. No scorch marks, no pieces of the building, not even a clod of dirt out of place.  
  
It was as if it had vanished into thin air...but that was equally impossible. Buildings don’t just up and disappear, especially in the middle of the day.  
  
However, that wasn’t why I fervently believed that Valley Life didn’t explode. In the wake of the incident, I heard an interesting account by a visitor who had left mere moments before the event; she claimed to have seen a bright light coming from one of the windows and heard a female screaming - after that, fear took over and sent her running for cover.  
  
I once brought it up with the other Doves -our pet name for the family members of the missing Valley Life occupants- and they agreed. Now if only we could get the police to reopen the case.  
  
“Isaac, why did your grandma have to get the case closed? Does she not want closure?” Erika moaned.  
  
“She’s evil. She never liked my daughter, or even me.” Mom let out a sigh of frustration, “I’ll be glad when she’s gone.”

* * *

Alita passed one day, apparently screaming into the afterlife. _Good riddance?_ I thought upon receiving the news.  
  
Mom and I weren’t invited to the funeral, but even if we were, neither of us wanted to go.  
  
Still, it was quiet at the house, mostly because we weren’t sure whether to celebrate or actually mourn the woman.

“Isaac, want lunch and a cake? My treat.” Mom broke the silence, causing me to give her a look. “I decided. We should celebrate the bitch being gone. And what better way to than to be happy while she rots?”

I gave a small smile at that. “We’ll split. You buy the cake. I’ll buy lunch.”

We got lunch at a diner and it was there that when the conversation turned to Valley Life BC.  
  
“You’ve been dreaming about Irene?” I asked, trying not to spray my drink. She nodded.  
  
“She looks different, but she was waving at me. Just imagine it, Isaac! Wherever she is, she’s okay!” Her voice dropped to a whisper, “Think she’s in the afterlife?”  
  
“I…” Words failed me for a moment, before I forced out an answer, “No, Mom, I don’t think she’s dead and calling you from whatever afterlife she’s in. She’s still alive, she _has to be_.” Mom frowned.  
  
“But why hasn’t she tried to come back if she’s not dead?” I shrugged.  
  
“Maybe she can’t come back.” We ate the rest in silence. I was hoping that was the end of that conversation, but it was hoping too much.

* * *

I was watering my plants and dwelling on thoughts when a knock on the front door brought me out of it. A glance out the window confirmed my fears; a familiar black Porsche was parked in the driveway.

 _Wait, what? I’m not late for work, am I?_ I looked at the clock; no I was not on call for another 30 minutes. So why was Dr. Hale -our mentor- here? I put down the watering can, walked over, and opened the door.  
  
To my shock, the first one through the door was not my supervisor, but my mother - and she looked like she had downed enough booze to kill an elephant. As I helped her sit on the couch before she could hurt herself, a tap on the doorframe redirected my attention.  
  
“I hate to ask this of you, Isaac, but...keep an eye on your mother.” Ah. _There_  was Dr. Hale. “She came into work with the smell of alcohol on her breath, and she apparently stole a few narcotics from our pharmacy. I _would_  have had her arrested, but…” He took a breath before continuing. “Isaac...has she told you about her dreams recently?”  
  
“Um...no?” I ventured, not liking where this was going.  
  
“Apparently, she has been having a recurring dream for some time now: she sees her daughter ‘in heaven’...and she’s asking your mother to join her.” If the sigh Dr. Hale gave me was any indication, my wide-eyed expression confirmed his suspicions. “I was afraid of that...which is why I didn’t notify anyone. My guess is that she’s suicidal, and while Lord knows you don’t need this to worry about, I was hoping that you could at least talk her down. And, by coincidence...you have fourteen vacation days that might soon disappear if you don’t use them.” He gave me a small smile and it took a lot of effort not to groan at that last statement.  
  
“Sir, if I may be blunt…” I started.  
  
“Go ahead.”  
  
“You’re as subtle as a hand grenade in a baby carriage.” My work ethic was a regular target for the humor of my coworkers - the old ‘you’d marry the job if you could’ was only the _least_  creative of their jokes at my expense. But I did it because dating didn't take my mind off losing my sister.  
  
Dr. Hale gave a small laugh at that. “I know, but humor me. Take Eliza out of town and get her mind off work and what happened...and while you’re at it, get some rest for yourself as well. I’ll make it seem like she just came in hungover and the stolen narcotics were because of a miscount. Understand?”  
  
_In short, you’re holding her job and reputation over_ my _head, committing willful fraud, and hoping the prodigy can solve all this without making you look bad and without her having another breakdown._  I had spent twelve years perfecting my professional medical etiquette, and it still took every ounce of my willpower to conceal my disgusted scowl. _You son of a-_  
  
“I understand, Dr. Hale. See you in two weeks.”

* * *

It was such a simple plan. A trip out of town, away from prying eyes; just long enough to allow us both to relax. I’d reviewed every psychology text I could find, made a list of potential triggers for my mother’s new issues, and drawn up a step-by-step plan to hopefully arrest her slide into madness, if not reverse it completely. I’d even thought of ways it could go wrong, and made contingencies on how to compensate.  
  
Perfectly organized and almost comically simple...had I only accounted for the first rule of healthcare: _never assume you know everything_. _  
  
_ “Hey Mom, Dr. Hale is giving us a couple of…” I suddenly realized how quiet it was. Mom always had _some_  form of music playing - one of the few things that she and my sister had in common - yet there was only deafening silence in our house. It took me exactly three seconds to register that oddity, process it in my mind, and reach an all-too-likely conclusion.  
  
I wasn’t sure if the pounding in my ears came from my heart or my feet as I all but sprinted to Mom’s room. My usual decorum long forgotten, I seized the handle and threw the door open, hoping with every fibre of my being that my intuition was off for once.  
  
Sometimes, I _loathed_ my ability to accurately assess a situation at a glance. On one hand, it certainly helped me provide excellent patient care; on the other, it meant that I had a knack for uncovering unpleasant truths without meaning to.  
  
Such as, for instance, the sight of my mother’s lifeless body, dangling from the ceiling by the makeshift noose tied around her neck. I was at her side in an instant, but I knew it was too late; she’d clearly been planning this for a while.  
  
_And I never even realized it until now…_ It took me a moment to feel the hot tears running down my face and another moment to fall on her bed, crying. First, my sister started losing her mind early in her life and then vanished off the face of the planet, and now my mother lost _her_  mind and took her own life in...despair? Guilt? I couldn’t even begin to guess.  
  
At least, I was crying until I heard a thump and coughing. I sat up, my eyes too blurred with tears to vaguely see a form taking slow steps towards me.  
  
“I thought that was tighter than it actually was.” More coughing and I wiped my eyes to see my mom, looking pale, “I’m… I’m sorry, Isaac.”  
  
Anger and grief welled up inside me, “Why?! Why do…” I gestured towards the bedsheet dangling from the ceiling, “...that?”  
  
“She’s calling me, sweetheart. I know Irene’s voice. She was calling me to heaven.”  
  
“I don’t think Irene would call you to heaven or wherever the hell she is!” I yelled. Mom frowned.  
  
“And why not?”  
  
“She’s not the type to just leave me here by myself. She knows you’re the only family I have left; why would she ask only you to join her?” I grumbled under my breath, “Besides, she’s not dead. I’m certain of that.”

* * *

That night, I went to sleep after making sure Mom wasn’t planning on taking her life again. The idea was that we’d head out the next morning.  
  
Normally, I didn’t dream.  
  
I opened my eyes with a groan.  _Am… Am I dreaming for once?_  With a slight shake of my head, I sat up and took in the sight of…  
  
_Flowers?_

That jolted me to full wakefulness - I looked around to find that I wasn’t in my house anymore. I was in some sort of field of wildflowers, but there was nothing here to suggest there was even a home here.  
  
_Wait, why does this place look so familiar?_  I stood up to get a better look at my surroundings. My earlier assessment was soon disproved - a lone brick building stood directly across from the fields. When I turned to face it completely, my heart nearly stopped; it was Valley Life BC, looking exactly as it had the last time I’d seen it.  
  
As I walked towards it, I felt a strange sensation; it was as though someone was watching…and angered at my presence. Ignoring the feeling, I got to the doors of the building before an intense heat pushed me back, sending me skidding backwards in a heap.  
  
“Wha… what the hell.” I mumbled, standing up. I wanted to explore further, but something told me that trying to continue wouldn’t end well for me, so instead, I backed away.  
  
“Wait!” I had intended to head back to the field and try to figure out what else was here, but a voice startled me. A woman in a white dress stepped up to me, then closed her eyes. “It’s not him.”  
  
“I’m not whom?” I felt heat behind me for a brief second and felt someone wrap their arms around me.  
  
“Isaac! It’s so good to see you!” My heart stopped in my chest as I turned around. Her eyes and clothes were different, but it was Irene, just like I remembered her all those years ago.  
  
“S...S...S…”  
  
“So, how did you get here?” I just hugged her, feeling the warmth. “...Never mind. I guess I just don’t want you stuck here like me.” That made me look up at her and finally look her over. Silver eyes, different outfit, and those large butterfly wings… it was almost overwhelming to take in. Yet she was still the same sister that vanished six years ago.  
  
“Wait, stuck?” I finally got the words out as I let go. Irene took in a breath.  
  
“Yeah, for some reason, I can’t go back. And… admittedly, I didn’t want to go back at first.” She made a gesture towards the hospital. “I’ve gotta protect this world and its inhabitants, so I stayed. And…” Her wings turned pink and she blushed, “I found this other world and may have gotten a boyfriend and…”  
  
“We’ve been worried about you and the people you took with you for six years, Irene. And you’re here, talking about a boyfriend.” Her wings took on a tint of blue.  
  
“Six years, huh? As for the others who came here with me… they’re… they’re changed. They didn’t make it in with me. Vegetables, the whole lot of them. You met one of them. Kalle?” The woman in white stepped towards us. Silver eyes, just like Irene. Was that commonplace?  
  
“So, you’re her brother. Nice to meet you.” When I took her hand, I expected a light grip. Instead, she was the one who nearly broke my hand. She winced, “Whoops. Forgot my own strength there. Sorry.” I was about to comment, only to feel rumbling.  
  
“Well, you get to go home. Say hi to Mom for me, will you?” I reached for Irene, only to bump into a barrier. “See you in your dreams, big brother.”

* * *

I sat up, gasping. Mom was sitting on my bed, a hand to my forehead.  
  
“You okay, Isaac? You’re warm, and you were smiling.”  
  
“Mom, I saw her. Irene’s okay.” I spat out.  
  
“She didn’t call to you?”  
  
“No, she’s unable to make it back here from wherever she is, and -oh gods, the other Doves aren’t gonna be happy- the others didn’t make it, she told me.” Mom looked at me, concern on her face. Then her face paled and she put her hand to her mouth.  
  
“Sorry, sweetheart. I need to go.” She took off and I got a look at her suddenly swollen legs. _Uh oh._ I thought. Swollen legs meant her kidneys possibly weren’t functioning as they should. _Mom, what did you do?_

* * *

It wasn’t long after that incident that Mom’s condition worsened to the point where she couldn’t even get out of bed, complaining about her legs and being too fatigued to get up.  
  
“So, looks like my plan worked. I am so sorry, Isaac.” I was at her side in a heartbeat.  
  
“What plan?”  
  
“Remember? The day we got vacation days, I took some drugs and drank.” She let out a small laugh, “God, the alcohol was nasty, but I still drank it. I was trying to off myself. Hoped I would black out at the hospital and be too far gone to save. Looks like it worked, but delayed. I’m… I’m not seeing Irene again, am I?”  
  
I shook my head.  
  
“Mom, there was something I could’ve done. I should’ve-” This time, Mom shook her head.  
  
“No, I planned this. There was nothing you could do. Just… if you see Irene again, apologize on my behalf. I thought I could see her again. Now, mind doing me a favor? Well, two favors.”  
  
“Anything.”  
  
“Call 911. And two, please don’t come visit me. I want you to remember me as I was, not dying of kidney failure.” I stood my ground. “Please. I don’t want you to see me like this.”  
  
“There’s still a chance. We can save you!”  
  
“I can tell it’s too far gone.” Having said that, she closed her eyes, ending any other argument I might’ve had. Deciding that I could at least grant one wish, I called 911 and had an ambulance pick her up.

* * *

It was only two days later that she fell into a coma. The doctors confirmed that her kidneys had completely shut down.  
  
I had to watch my mother deteriorate right in front of me.  
  
And when the option came to pull her off life support, it took a bit longer than I would’ve admitted to agree.  
  
She was a good person, unlike my grandmother. Just had her own personal demons to deal with. So, why was it that she screamed like Alita supposedly did when she died?  
  
Dr. Hale was the first one to catch up with me afterwards.  
  
“Isaac, I am so sorry for your loss.” I was numb, for the most part.  
  
“You know how you told me I have a couple of weeks of vacation?” He nodded, “I think… I think I’ll need a lot longer to deal with this. You understand?”  
  
“Yes, take as long as you need.” _If I have my way, I won’t need much time._ I shook my head to shake out that thought.  
  
I couldn’t join Irene… Could I?

* * *

I got home and once I was in my room, I let the dam break.  
  
“I don’t care anymore! Mom and I tried to be good people and this is the result! She’s dead and I’m all alone! What good are all these smarts if I cannot save anyone close to me!” I fell on the bed, sobbing, “I just wanna see my sister. I… I just want away from the place.” I lifted my head just in time to be partially blinded by a bright light. I covered my face with a pillow and only pulled away after a few minutes. I only figured out where I was when I heard footsteps coming from the living room.  
  
“Mom? Isaac? Anyone home?” I found myself smiling slightly through the tears. “Oh my gods, Tsuneo, I think you’ll love my mom. Although I’m not sure how she’ll react to whole undead thing.” _Say what._  
  
“If she’s fine with you being the way you are, I’m pretty sure a zombie isn’t too far out of the question.” Okay, so that’s the boyfriend my sister was talking about.  
  
“Irene, we _really_ need to talk about your taste in men.” I called out, getting off the bed. Irene rushed to my room and grabbed my shoulders.  
  
“First you’re gonna tell me why you’re here.” She blinked when she saw my red eyes. “Wait, you’ve been crying.”  
  
“Mom’s gone, sis. I’ve got _no one_ left except you.” She let go of my shoulders and I saw her wings completely turn blue. She turned to leave, smacked into her boyfriend and cried in his arms. “Tsuneo, was it?” I wiped my eyes with my sleeve, “Sorry you had to meet me in… this situation.”  
  
“Believe me, I understand your pain more than you realize.”  
  
“Isaac, please. _Please_ tell me Mom passed away peacefully.” I couldn’t lie to her.  
  
“No. She screamed as she died. Just like Alita.” I saw her weakly punch the nearby wall.  
  
“Godsdammit, of course my mother couldn’t just peacefully pass, could she? What did she do to deserve this?” _I wish I knew, Irene. I wish I knew._ I thought. Irene wiped her eyes on her sleeve and clung to Tsuneo. “Oh right. We’ve got to get you out of here before you turn the rest of my world inside out and topsy turvy. Sorry hun.”  
  
“Wait, why? Didn’t he just get here?” I asked. Irene let out a sigh.  
  
“That’s true. But he’s the God of Chaos, so he’s-” I held up a hand, my grief pushed aside for a moment.  
  
“Irene, why are you with the God of Chaos? _Why_ is there a God of Chaos?”  
  
“Unless you’re familiar with Multiverse Theory, the explanation will go straight over your head.” His reply was quick and cold, motioning to my sister to throw an eye open before them. _Okay, what the hell is that!?  
  
_ “Sis, did you just-” Irene shrugged.  
  
“It’s a thing I do. Anyway, I’ll be right back.” With that, she and Tsuneo stepped into the eye, vanishing. I fell backwards onto the bed, trying to wrap my head around what I just witnessed.  
  
_Irene, you’d leave your new guest alone while you deal with your god/boyfriend? How rude._ _Might as well try to learn about this new world while she’s gone._ __  
  
I got up, noticing one of my plants on the ground, dirt and leaves spilling out. I sighed and picked it up, hoping I could save something from it, when it sprouted back to life in my hands.  
  
“Sorry about that Isaac. Tsuneo’s as cuddly as a cactus and it shows-” Irene’s head tilted slightly as she noticed the growing plant in my hands. “Well, that’s a neat power. And something new.”  
  
“Too bad I didn’t gain this power sooner. I probably could’ve saved Mom.” I muttered as Irene created a new pot for me to put the plant in.  
  
“Well, maybe, maybe not. But let’s not dwell on it. I don’t think Mom would want us to constantly be mourning her.” She placed a hand on my shoulder. “Come on, let me show you my world. Welcome home, Isaac.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, what happened to Eliza and Alita? There's been an Eldritch abomination named Catha giving people the power to control their dreams and create dream worlds, but stealing their souls in the process. Eliza and Alita became Catha's playthings, namely because Irene and Isaac escaped with their souls. Irene wanted so badly to leave her old life that she created a rift in her reality and Isaac wanted to see Irene again, so he ripped a hole in reality to do so.
> 
> Now, as for why this is not in the story? Because no one in-story knows about Catha. It's just normal for people to be lucid dreamers with mental illnesses in Irene's home. Plus, I like the idea that this is kept out of the story; makes for more interesting Fridge Horror :)
> 
> I am Insanity_Lady on twitter, mythicalmiracles on tumblr, and LadyIrene #1465 on discord if you wanna yell at me.


End file.
